The Wedding
by Ribeiro1986
Summary: It is Ben and Cindy's wedding and he is anxious to cary her through the threshold. the only problem however, that he didn't tell his family he had got married. How the Waltons will react to this big surprise? (Episode AU)


**The story bellow, again, isn't a storyline, it is actually, the reteling of an episode of season 7 name THE OUTSIDER. **

**Hope you like it.**

**Please, enjoy**

* * *

**THE WEDDING**

The Walton family got a surprise one night when, past midnight, a honk was heard outside the house, waking everyone up. As the family went downstairs, Ben pushed the front door open, holding a beautiful girl in his arms, bridal style, both of them smiling from ear to ear.

''Hi, Mama, Daddy, everyone. I'd like you to meet Cindy,'' he said. There was a pause, before Ben continued. "She's my wife."

No one spoke. Not only were Olivia and John shocked, but all the children were as well by the abrupt revelation coming from the fourth Walton child.

''You – you're married?'' Olivia whispered confusedly, trying to digest this shocking piece of information.

''Yeah, Mama, it's our wedding night,'' Ben said happily, but he and Cindy started to blush, noticing how everyone was staring at them in an uncomfortable silence.

''I think you should put me down,'' Cindy whispered, a bit embarrassed.

''Oh, right, sorry, my love.'' Ben blushed and put her down.

''Well, congrat –'' Jim-Bob began, trying to break the awkward silence, but Mary Ellen gave him a hard look.

''W-when did it happen?'' Olivia asked, looking between her husband and the newlyweds.

''We drove all the way to Albans, Maryland to get married,'' Cindy said.

''They don't require licenses there and you don't need to be over twenty-one,'' Ben explained.

''Well, son…'' John began. He cleared his throat. ''You – uh – you come in like this, saying that you're married to a girl we've never met. Would you at least introduce us?''

''Oh, sorry…'' Ben said. ''Cindy, this is my family, my mother and father, my sisters and two of my brothers.'' Ben smiled and Cindy shook hands with everyone, including Grandma Esther. Once they finished the introductions, Olivia smiled at the two people in front of her.

''Well, I – um – I guess you two are probably tired after such a long drive,'' she said. ''We all should get off to bed again. Well, welcome, Cindy,'' the mother said with a hesitant smile.

''Thank you, Mrs. Walton.'' The girl smiled back.

''Please, call me, Olivia. Good night,'' she said, shooing everyone to go back to bed and leave Ben and Cindy alone.

''I can't believe he did this,'' John growled once he and Olivia were laying in their bed again.

''I'm surprised too, John,'' Olivia said. ''But we know our son and how he likes to surprise us. I think the best we can do now is accept it. Accept it and try to be happy and make them happy.''

John sighed. ''He actually reminds me of when I was his age,'' John whispered. ''We did the same thing, remember?''

''And we are still happy now.'' Olivia kissed him and they returned to the confines of sleep.

_/_

The next morning, when Ben entered the kitchen, John asked why they got married. Ben told him the plain and simple truth. That he loves Cindy and that they had to get married before they lost control and made mistakes. John was upset that he hadn't let the family get to know her first, but on the other hand, Ben figured that John would have just said "no" if he asked for permission first.

''Don't fight, you two,'' Olivia scolded. ''What's done is done. Ben, we are upset that you didn't us let know first, but now, we merely wish you the most happiness and we'll make sure Cindy feels at home.''

''Thank you, Mama.'' Ben smiled. ''I thought I'd take Cindy breakfast in bed. Uh, could you help me?''

''Of course.'' Olivia stood up and helped her son prepare breakfast for his new bride.

The rest of the week, following Olivia's suggestions, everyone in the house did everything possible to make sure Cindy was feeling at home. They made gave them gifts and invited Cindy to participate in every moment of the house. Meanwhile, Cindy, after that embarrassing first meeting, tried to help in the house the best she could, helping with dishes and mopping the floor, doing things that the other girls did.

After a few months, Cindy was settled in very well in the Walton family. She was happy and loved her new family. She felt completely accepted and loved helping with dinner, hanging out with her new sisters, or talking to Grandma. However, to her disappointment, her own marriage with Ben seemed to be heading somewhere cold. He was becoming quite controlling and often disagreed with her every time she tried to do something in her own way. It was because, in his point of view, Cindy's way wasn't the Walton way.

One day, after yet another argument with Ben, Cindy went to help Oliva in the house. The mother-in-law, noticing the girl's annoyance, asked what was wrong.

''Ben is being impossible,'' she said. ''He won't let me do anything, he doesn't listen to me either, and it's annoying me to no end because I feel like I can't be my own person. He thinks that just because he's a man, he should be the one to control everything,'' Cindy said, annoyed.

Olivia knew it was somewhat rude, but she couldn't help but smile.

''I know exactly what you're feeling. John is exactly the same way sometimes,'' she said. ''Cindy, a married life isn't as easy as we think. I mean, I've been married for almost thirty five years now and John and I still go through our ups and downs. Every relationship does and we have just have to learn how to deal with it, otherwise it doesn't work for either person. Being married doesn't mean you cant be your own person, and Ben is wrong in every way if he thinks that, just because he's the man, he's the boss of you.

''The man may be the head of the house, but we are the neck and we can move the head any way we want. And besides, without us, they would fall apart. John knows that, and soon enough, Ben will know it too,'' Olivia said. Cindy laughed.

''Come with me,'' Grandma Esther interjected. She had been sitting at the table, listening intently to the conversation. She stood up and took the young wife by the hand. Both Cindy and Olivia followed her.

_/_

Down at the mill, another conversation was happening. Ben was telling his father all about how annoying Cindy was, decorating the shed in her own way, ignoring his ideas and spending money they didn't have on silly stuff to make the place "plausible" to them. John listened careful to his son, trying to tell him that he needed to listen to Cindy. Just because he was a man, didn't mean that he was to be the one giving the orders.

As Ben was about to reply, three women appeared at the mill to talk to Ben. But, when he refused to listen, Grandma handed Cindy a broom.

''You are a young fool'' The old lady pointed her finger at her grandson and Cindy, taking her cue, started to chase Ben around the yard, poking him with the broom and spouting her grievances with him at the top of her lungs, stating that she should be allowed to help make meals and do her bit around the house. She also stated that if they are going to live in the shed together, both of them need to make it their own, not just his. And more important, she just wanted to be herself.

''Alright,'' Ben finally admitted. ''I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be mean with you. I just want you to be happy.''

''Let's make it work, Ben, please. I love you,'' Cindy said fiercely.

''I love you too,'' he said. Dropping the broom, Cindy went forward and her and her husband shared a reconciliation kiss, showing that, even though they were fighting, they did still love each other immensely.

_/_

A week later, the family was just sitting down to dinner when they heard a knock on the door. Cindy offered to get it since she was still standing and opened it, just to come face with face with a man she had never seen before.

The man in question, however, was John-Boy, who had come for a surprise visit. What with all the surprises from the past couple of weeks, no one had remembered to tell him what had happened with Ben and Cindy.

''Who are you?'' he asked confusedly.

''Cindy Walton and you?'' she replied, when John and Olivia came up from behind her.

''John-Boy!'' they exclaimed. ''Son, what a surprise!'' they said as the siblings hurried forward to greet their big brother.

''I was feeling lonely, so I decided to take a week off and come back home,'' he said. ''But… I'm still confused. Who are you, Cindy?''

''Oh, yeah…'' Ben said. ''John-Boy, meet my wife, Cindy Walton.''

''Dude, you got married? Congratulations…when did it happen? And congratulations to you too, Cindy. He's a good man.''

''Thanks!'' they replied. ''Come on in, brother, let's eat and we'll tell you everything,'' Ben said and the family returned to their meal.

**THE END**


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